Tim Williams, aka OPTIMIST

We Love Tim. Tim, known in the art world as OPTIMIST, is an Oakland-based, mixed-media artist whose vibrant, pop-inspired work celebrates movement, identity, and the rhythms of city life. Merging graffiti aesthetics with the narrative flair of comic books, his art is rebellious, playful, and deeply rooted in human experience.

Tim’s Travelin’ Man series is a dynamic chronicle of cities and experiences, capturing the energy of place through motion, memory, and bold mark making. Influenced by street art, zine culture, and pop art, his work is both spontaneous and deliberate, layered with color, texture, and storytelling. From Oakland to Osaka, each piece reflects not just the spirit of a location, but also Tim’s evolving relationship with the world around him.

C-lective is proud to present the complete Travelin’ Man series, along with a broader selection of Tim’s works that continue to celebrate movement, identity, and connection.

"I always saw my art as a way to connect with people—on walls, in sketchbooks, wherever I happened to be."

Select Works by Tim

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Dominique Birdsong

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Ajaya Bhatnagar